Morrie Markoff lost his life but his writings and blog posts survive him, creating a complete portrait of a man eager to enjoy life without ignoring the effects of aging, staring death in the face. Markoff lived to be 110 years old, making him the oldest active verified blogger in the world. His age gave him a long list of life experiences that he used as inspiration to talk about how the world, society and politics changed around him, offering others an entry into his mind.
Like other bloggers, Markoff chose the WordPress site as his way to communicate with the world. On his page you can find writings dating back to 2018 and addressing topics from the evolution of the Sears store chain to opinions on the political problems that the United States has experienced in recent years. The man also collaborated with some journalists who asked for his perspective on various topics, mainly old age, as happened with LA Times columnist Steve Lopez. In 2022 he became the oldest blogger in the world after the death of the Swede Dagny Carlsson (109 years old). As of 2023, shortly before his 110th birthday, he was the oldest man in the United States.
The life of Morrie Markoff
Markoff was born in a time not very different from today. When he was just four years old, the Spanish Fever caused devastation around the world and he took his older brother from her. He grew up in East Harlem, in New York, so he saw how the city became the epicenter of emigration and how the city was filled with skyscrapers after the boom of the 1930s, in addition to the changes that would come during the second half of the 20th century, such as the construction of the Twin Towers.
Markoff’s professional life was diverse. He was part of the steel industry for much of his career, and trained as a machinist under the tutelage of his father. However, during the Great Depression he worked various jobs before becoming a vacuum cleaner repairman and salesman. At the time of World War II, he dedicated himself to manufacturing munitions, and later managed an air conditioning company.
Markoff’s political vision could generate controversy today, as it would in his time. He belonged to the Communist Party of the United States and participated in various protests. However, after a visit to the Soviet Union in the 1950s he became disillusioned with the impact of socialism in the country. In his later writings one reads of a left-wing man open to liberal policies both economically and socially, which gave clues to his socialist influence.
Markoff was accompanied for much of his life by his wife Betty Goldmintz, whom he met in the late 1930s during a party in the Bronx. The couple married that same year. Markoff was approximately 24 years old. Betty died in 2019 at the age of 103 after sharing eight decades with the writer.
Aside from his professional life, Markoff delved into sculpture, primarily as a hobby. He represented people and places that he had known throughout his life. At 100 years old he held his first art presentation with his metal sculptures, and three years later he published his memoirs titled Keep Breathing: Recollections from a 103-year-old, in which he offered his perspective on life and aging. When he was approaching his centenary, he commented that he felt mentally agile.
In his publications and in interviews with journalistshighlighted the role his children Steve and Judith played in his well-being, mentioning that they visited him regularly and cared for him despite the financial challenges often associated with caring for the elderly.
Reflecting on his life, Markoff maintained a positive attitude and strove to make it as enjoyable and productive as possible. He accepted the reality of it without complaint and followed his philosophy of “play along” with simple pleasures and the support of his family. His 108th birthday was a testament to his enduring spirit and the love that surrounded him. Morrie Markoff died on June 3, 2024 at age 110.
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